Emirates to bring A380 to Dubai-Auckland route for first time

Emirates is to operate its daily non-stop services between Dubai and Auckland with an A380 aircraft, less than a year after operating the flights with a Boeing 777-200LR.

Emirates’ flagship double-decker A380s will operate on the route, currently the world’s longest, from October 30th.

The airline has been flying the route since March 1st, in addition to three daily A380s flying from Auckland to Dubai and beyond via Australia, and a daily Boeing 777-300ER from Christchurch.

Operating eastbound as flight EK448, the service will depart Dubai at 10:05 and arrive in Auckland the following day at 11:10.

Westbound, flight EK449 will depart Auckland each night at 21:15, arriving in Dubai the following morning at 05:35 connecting with Emirates’ 39
European destinations, as well as other destinations in West Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

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This flight also connects in both directions with ten A380 destinations, providing passengers the opportunity to fly all the way from Auckland to Europe on Emirates’ flagship aircraft.

The very first flight from Dubai to Auckland and return at the beginning of March was operated by an A380 to especially commemorate the start of the non-stop route, but the flights have since been flown by the Boeing 777-200LR.

As the largest A380 operator in the world, Emirates now has 80 Airbus A380s serving its network.

Last month, Emirates placed a new order for an additional two new A380 aircraft, to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2017, bringing its order books for the aircraft to 64.